Our Story
Our company started as a passion project to make great looking Norse/Viking inspired gear and a way to help support local fighters and Jiu Jitsu Athletes with sponsorships.
Competing in combat sports is hard enough, your gear should hold up through the abuse of training. Everyone knows how good it feels putting on a new rash guard or pair of shorts or spats. We want to provide you with durable gear that you will be proud to wear in competition and apparel you will be comfortable wearing on the streets. This is our promise, this is what makes Asgard503 the brand for you.
Owner
Michael Ciochon was born and raised in a small town in Oregon. Growing up he was quite the active kid, playing sports; both in and out door soccer, basketball, tennis as a kid as well as being in a "mat club" middle school wresting team for a few years. He enjoyed the out doors, was a Boy Scout and even earned his Eagle Scout rank. However after graduating high school he stopped doing most if his physical activities and like most in their early 20's gained a few pounds due to poor diet and exercise.
At the age of twenty five he had had enough and decided to get back into shape. He joined a local gym and went to many "bootcamp" type classes but nothing ever really stuck. One day he stumbled upon The Joe Rogan Experience Podcast. After a few months of listening and constantly hearing Joe Rogan talk about how much Jiu Jitsu had changed his life, Michael sought out a 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu school. The closest one to him at the time was a "hotbox" (an unofficial) 10th Planet affiliate out of Corvallis Oregon coached by Gerald Strebendt a 10th Planet Blackbelt under Eddie Bravo. It was under Gerald that Michael earned his blue belt. In his Jiu Jitsu journey Michael was still in search of a good weight training methodology and he came upon Crossfit. The combination of olympic lifting and gymnastics and mobility went hand in had with Michael's jiu jitsu training. In 2014 Michael and his wife moved to Portland for job opportunities. He continues his training at 10th Planet Portland under 10th Planet black belt Nathan Orchard, and 10th Planet brown belt Phil Schwartz, and his strength and conditioning at Crossfit Magnus, and has competed as a blue belt in several west coast Jiu jitsu competitions including Naga, SubLeague, Oregon Open, and Gracie Nationals. In June of 2016 he was awarded his purple belt under Nathan and Phil.
Shortly after receiving his purple belt our owner Michael was having a discussion with a friend that had also received her purple belt. A comment that was said by her in this conversation helped spawn the idea for Asgard503.
"We are purple belts now, we can look for sponsorships now"
At first this sounded great, who doesn't like free gear and maybe a few bucks now and then. A moment later Michael had another thought, why not be the one giving the free gear and money away? If others had done it before him why couldn't he? The brand Asgard503 was later born.